The Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop is a iconic tradition that begins its descent at exactly 11:59 p.m. ET on December 31. The event marks the countdown to midnight, signaling the start of the new year as the 12-foot crystal ball lowers over 60 seconds.

Event Timeline

Celebrations in Times Square kick off around 6:00 p.m. ET, with the ball raised to the top of the flagpole at One Times Square shortly before then. The actual drop starts precisely at 11:59:00 p.m. ET, synchronized with NIST time signals for accuracy.

Historical Context

This tradition dates back to 1907, evolving from early time balls used for navigation, and has featured multiple ball redesigns over the century.

2025-2026 Details

For the transition into 2026—which occurred last night on December 31, 2025—the ball drop followed the standard schedule, starting at 11:59 p.m. ET amid live performances and crowds.

TL;DR: Ball drop descent starts at 11:59 p.m. ET on NYE, lasting 60 seconds to midnight.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.